07 August 2014
1 Kings 1
Jeremiah 28
Mark 2
“WHEN JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH”
In Mark’s Gospel today we have the familiar and much loved account of the paralysed man who was carried by his 4 friends on a bed to Jesus and ”when they could not get near him because of the crowd” they carried him up and “removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay” [Mark 2:4]
Then comes a significant comment , “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, My Son, your sins are forgiven … and he rose and he immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all.” [Mark 2:5,11] We meditate that this healing took place ”when Jesus saw THEIR faith.” This shows an occasion when our Lord responded to the faith of others. Faith is “spiritual sight! In Hebrews 11:27 Paul wrote of Moses, that “he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” That is the ultimate description of faith - “seeing him who is invisible” - and for Moses it led to God being visible to some degree on the top of the mountain! Think of what you will see, as a result of having genuine faith now, when the kingdom is established!
We really must have the conviction of mind of the things we pray for. When Peter was imprisoned, “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church” [Acts 12:5-16] but those praying when their prayer was answered in the dramatic way it was, were utterly astonished - and disbelieving at first.
At the present time many are praying about the plight of Pakistani and Iranian brethren in Sri Lanka which the local authorities seem determined to send back to their homelands - where many, maybe all would face persecution and maybe death.
The four friends of the paralytic went to extreme lengths because of their faith in what Jesus could do, may we, as we read in Romans a few days ago, “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” [Romans 12:12] And to the Thessalonians, in his second letter, Paul tells them, We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing” [2 Thessalonians 1:3] Can Jesus see my faith, your faith?
-------
- DC
We must be determined in seeking Jesus every day of lives, we have to be determined in our own lives, but sometimes our friends (brothers and sisters) need our determination in seeking Christ to help them.
Mark 2:4
"And when they (friends of man sick of palsy) could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay."
We have a wonderful example of determination here, in seeking Jesus. They could not get near Jesus because of the "press", because of people, if you like they could not get close to Jesus because of the world.
This example of determination, to get to Jesus and overcome the obstacle of the "press", the people reminds us of Zacchaeus (Lu 19:3), who because of the press could not get close to Jesus, and who also showed great determination.
With the man sick of the palsy who is let down through the roof, we see determination of friends to get to Jesus. And in Zacchaeus we see the determination of an individual to get to Jesus. Let us be determined for ourselves and our brothers and sisters.
Thought for the Day
07 August 2014
"As the Lord Jesus showed his loving concern for others, so must we, in our relationships one with another offer our understanding and love. We are all anxious and troubled, even desperately unhappy, sometimes. Being in the Truth in a world that is mentally if not physically hostile brings trials and temptations to us, as also does being imperfect among the imperfect. We all need understanding at times. From the Lord Jesus we know we can receive that understanding. He has, however, given us of his love that we may share it, first with those who long to share it also, and second with those, our brethren and sisters, who need our help along the way. For, whilst wisdom may be the principal thing, it is nothing without understanding."
- John Mitchell
Understanding (1968)
1 Kings 1
Jeremiah 28
Mark 2
“WHEN JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH”
In Mark’s Gospel today we have the familiar and much loved account of the paralysed man who was carried by his 4 friends on a bed to Jesus and ”when they could not get near him because of the crowd” they carried him up and “removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay” [Mark 2:4]
Then comes a significant comment , “And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, My Son, your sins are forgiven … and he rose and he immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all.” [Mark 2:5,11] We meditate that this healing took place ”when Jesus saw THEIR faith.” This shows an occasion when our Lord responded to the faith of others. Faith is “spiritual sight! In Hebrews 11:27 Paul wrote of Moses, that “he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” That is the ultimate description of faith - “seeing him who is invisible” - and for Moses it led to God being visible to some degree on the top of the mountain! Think of what you will see, as a result of having genuine faith now, when the kingdom is established!
We really must have the conviction of mind of the things we pray for. When Peter was imprisoned, “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church” [Acts 12:5-16] but those praying when their prayer was answered in the dramatic way it was, were utterly astonished - and disbelieving at first.
At the present time many are praying about the plight of Pakistani and Iranian brethren in Sri Lanka which the local authorities seem determined to send back to their homelands - where many, maybe all would face persecution and maybe death.
The four friends of the paralytic went to extreme lengths because of their faith in what Jesus could do, may we, as we read in Romans a few days ago, “rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” [Romans 12:12] And to the Thessalonians, in his second letter, Paul tells them, We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing” [2 Thessalonians 1:3] Can Jesus see my faith, your faith?
-------
- DC
We must be determined in seeking Jesus every day of lives, we have to be determined in our own lives, but sometimes our friends (brothers and sisters) need our determination in seeking Christ to help them.
Mark 2:4
"And when they (friends of man sick of palsy) could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay."
We have a wonderful example of determination here, in seeking Jesus. They could not get near Jesus because of the "press", because of people, if you like they could not get close to Jesus because of the world.
This example of determination, to get to Jesus and overcome the obstacle of the "press", the people reminds us of Zacchaeus (Lu 19:3), who because of the press could not get close to Jesus, and who also showed great determination.
With the man sick of the palsy who is let down through the roof, we see determination of friends to get to Jesus. And in Zacchaeus we see the determination of an individual to get to Jesus. Let us be determined for ourselves and our brothers and sisters.
Thought for the Day
07 August 2014
"As the Lord Jesus showed his loving concern for others, so must we, in our relationships one with another offer our understanding and love. We are all anxious and troubled, even desperately unhappy, sometimes. Being in the Truth in a world that is mentally if not physically hostile brings trials and temptations to us, as also does being imperfect among the imperfect. We all need understanding at times. From the Lord Jesus we know we can receive that understanding. He has, however, given us of his love that we may share it, first with those who long to share it also, and second with those, our brethren and sisters, who need our help along the way. For, whilst wisdom may be the principal thing, it is nothing without understanding."
- John Mitchell
Understanding (1968)
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